'Act justly, Love tenderly, walk humbly with your God'
Micah 6.8
All posts by Stephen Cooke
NW NJPN eBulletin September 2024
The September issue of the NW NJPN E BULLETIN features a wealth of events across the region as well as several Zoom presentations. Announcing this year’s International Day of Peace (21 September) with the theme ‘Cultivating a Culture of Peace’, UN Secretary-General António Guterres says: ‘In a world mired by conflict, inequalities and discrimination, we must strive ever harder to promote dialogue, empathy and human rights for all. Let us plant the seeds for non-violence, justice and hope’.
The World Council of Churches is taking ‘Gaza’ as a single focus for the 2024 World Week of Prayer for Peace in Palestine and Israel (16-22 September). Pax Christi will be hosting an online prayer event on 18 September and the final 3 pages of this bulletin contain the text of a service for Palestine and Israel put together for a Pray and Reflect service in my parish. You are welcome to dip into this or use in full – I can supply this material laid out in an 8-page A5 size booklet on request.
Ahead of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on 29 September, the Jesuit Refugee Service UK has issued a challenging report that examines the experiences of homelessness among people refused asylum in the context of the cost-of-living crisis and following the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are resources for the Season of Creation (1 September – 4 October) including details of a Climate Justice Gathering in Liverpool on 12 October, rescheduled from 29 June, plus news and events from CAFOD Lancaster Diocese.
Church Action on Poverty is urging churches to sign a letter lobbying for the controversial two-child limit to be removed in the October Budget. This cap means families are not allowed to access support through Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit, for more than two children, if children were born after April 2017. Please ask your church to sign or send an individual response using the sample letter.
The Autumn 2024 NJPN Newsletter, featuring a wide range of articles including reports on our 2024 Annual Conference “Just Politics”, the Living Wage, Palestine and Israel,
Our 2024 Conference on the theme of “Just Politics” took place in July, below are videos of most of the talks, as well as high quality audio files further down the page
Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani’s talk “What Should the Church Offer to Politics Today?”
Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani’s question and answer session
Steve Whiting’s talk “Power and Choice”
The Emerging Leaders panel session
The Emerging Leaders panel question and answer session
Fr Chris Highes, Sara Bryson and Shantel Suneesh’s talk “Taking Action? Get Organised! It works!”
High quality audio recordings of each talk are available below, with thanks to Paul Clarke,
Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani talk
Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Q&A
Steve Whiting talk
Steve Whiting feedback session
Mass homily
Emerging Leaders panel
Chris Hughes, Sara Bryson and Shantel Suneesh part 1
Chris Hughes, Sara Bryson and Shantel Suneesh part 2
Chris Hughes, Sara Bryson and Shantel Suneesh part 3
I am aware that we are not quite into Autumn yet but several things are happening in the first weeks of September so it is good to have notice in case you can manage to join any . St Albans Macclesfield J & P group have excelled themselves this year for the Season of Creation joining with many churches and other groups in the area. There events under the Pax Christi umbrella – a Peace Pilgrimage and Peace Conference plus information about a book, a play and a film about the atomic bomb. I have included something about Myamar (Burma) as positive things are happening there but it tends to be off our radar as we hear about things nearer home – Ukraine, Gaza and the recent unrest in our own country . The Burma campaign would like us to write to David Lamay our new Foreign Secretary as they fear it may be off his radar too.
The NW NJPN E Bulletin for Mid-August leads with an opinion piece by Dr Penny Howes on our Christian response to the riots across the country following the horrific murder of three young girls in Southport, plus a statement from NJPN Chair Anne Peacey (see page 2) and links to comments from other leading organisations. On page 3 Bernadette Bailey shares news of plans to celebrate Creation Time in the Macclesfield area and there are details of this year’s theme ‘To hope and act with Creation’ on pages 4-5. Pages 6-7 showcase a range of conservation and well-being activities in the North West and a report of a highly successful initiative which mixes elderly care home residents with a children’s nursery group. Writer and podcaster Diana Safieh examines the concept of ‘survivor’s guilt’ in the Palestinian diaspora in an article for the Balfour Project on pages 8-9. There are reports on Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations on pages 9-12 including an in-depth analysis from Joseph Kelly of The Catholic Network. We remember the anniversaries of martyrs for peace Blessed Franz Jagerstatter and St Maximilian Kolbe and also St Clare (with a sonnet by priest poet Malcolm Guite) on pages 12-13 and conclude with a diary for September and October.
Statement from National Justice and Peaced Network following racist violence.
NJPN is appalled by the events of the past days. We hold in our thoughts and prayers Alice da Silva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King and all those affected by the tragic events in Southport.
We utterly condemn the violence directed towards mosques, refugees and asylum seekers and minority groups. We applaud those who stand in solidarity with victims of racist behaviour. Targeting the most vulnerable is abhorrent as is spreading misinformation creating division within our communities.
Language is key to how we operate as a society and the use of vicious, discriminatory, and misleading rhetoric about those other than ourselves has been increasingly evident in the public space in recent times. Truth and integrity are lacking in much of our public discourse. Seeking truth in the face of much dishonest and misleading reporting can be challenging.
We must work to change the narrative and bring people of all beliefs and good will together to build more respectful, listening and welcoming communities. Violence is never the answer, more powerful is the witness of the many individuals and groups who came together to clear up their local areas. As faith communities we must commit to working closely together and ask what is our role in building cohesive and welcoming communities where everyone is able to thrive, to find a place to call home and walk the streets in safety feeling confident and included?
NJPN joins over 200 Christian leaders in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza
“We speak with urgency. We speak in a spirit of peace. We speak because we are deeply inspired by the courageous and selfless commitment of our Palestinian Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, who suffer alongside their Muslim and Jewish neighbours and remain resolutely determined to help bring about a just and dignified future for all inhabitants of these lands.”
NATIONAL JUSTICE AND PEACE CONFERENCE OF ENGLAND AND WALES
NJPN Conference 2024 focus on ‘Just Politics’
23 July 2024
The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani with Sir John Battle and Anne Peacey – Picture Credit Ellen Teague
“Politics creates the world we see around us and can shape our society towards more, or less, Christ-like ends.” The Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford and member of the House of Lords, spoke these words during her keynote address at the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) Annual Conference at the Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire last weekend.
The event took ‘Just Politics’ as its title. Bishop Guli’s experiences and insights resonated with the 160-strong audience, many of whom are actively engaged in justice, peace, advocacy and social action, inspired by personal faith and by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Participants travelled from many dioceses across England, Wales and Scotland – bringing with them a wealth of experience of local, national and international action and concern. Religious orders were also represented. The wide range of age groups was also notable.
Some of the conference speakers – Picture Credit Ellen Teague
Sir John Battle, former MP for Leeds West and a patron of NJPN, chaired a full timetable of activities at the 46th annual conference. He said at the start that the weekend was “about active, practical hope,” coming so soon after the General Election and with the theme, ‘Just Politics’. He stressed that Catholic Social Teaching inspired vision and social action by Catholics.
Further talks and presentations were given by Dr Molly Scott Cato, Professor Emerita of Green Economics and a former member of the European parliament, and Steve Whiting, a peace activist in the Quaker tradition. Molly called for more citizenship education, Citizens Assemblies, and engaging with the democratic process. Steve underlined the importance of political lobbying on justice and peace issues. Many of these issues were highlighted on stalls in a ‘Just Fair’ which included Palestinian goods and Fairtrade chocolate. The work of the Columbans, SVP, Pax Christi, CAFOD, Christian CND, Operation Noah, and many more were showcased.
Young People’s session – Picture Credit Ellen Teague
Eight young adults led ‘Perspectives from Emerging Leaders,’ a question-and-answer session which received a standing ovation in recognition of the quality of their input. It was chaired by Michael Chambers of Million Minutes, who reported on its research findings that only 47 percent of young people felt the Church cared ‘a lot’ about social justice. The panel valued regular participation in the annual NJPN conference, which addresses issues of concern to them, particularly Conflict, Wellbeing, Equality, Racism and Discrimination. Intolerant language towards refugees by politicians was singled out for criticism and also sexism in churches, such as the use of non-inclusive language.
From the Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle, Fr Chris Hughes brought a team to share the innovative work of Tyne & Wear Citizens which he co-chairs. The words of Sara Bryson, an Assistant Director at Citizens UK, resonated strongly with everyone when she said: “We do not have a crisis of good people… All of us are capable of building relational power to bring about change.” Together with Citizens UK, schools, community groups and other faith communities, Tyne & Wear Citizens has achieved significant local change. Through community-organising models, they have addressed living wage provision, mental health support and the free school meals systems. Catholic medical student Shantel Suneesh recounted her campaign on equitable bus fares for young adults in education across the North east – a transformation which now positively affects 23,000 young people. In the discussions and plenary that followed, eleven diocesan contacts promised to push for their dioceses to make a commitment to the Living Wages. Birmingham would look into Citizens UK work in their diocese. Several dioceses fed back they would be lobbying against the two-child cap on benefits, which has pushed many families into poverty. Pax Christi England and Wales expressed interest in community organising techniques for planning its Autumn campaigning against arms fairs.
Pax Christi members and supporters – Picture Credit Ellen Teague
High-quality workshops gave delegates an opportunity to update their understanding of issues like UN Sustainable Development Goals, nonviolence, and neoliberalism. Among them was a CAFOD/SVP one introducing their ‘Year of Encounter’ programme, following up on their successful mobilising of the Catholic voice in the General Election in more than 300 parishes and 200 constituencies; 123 parishes organised hustings. Another workshop was led by the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), promoting its ‘Do Justice’ campaign and encouraging ongoing political engagement. These two workshops involved J&P activists from ten dioceses and four religious orders.
The gathering was further enriched by thoughtful liturgies prepared and animated by members of the Lay Community of St Benedict, church musicians and singers drawn from many parts of the country – and indeed other countries. Members of the Lay Community provided a separate but linked programme for children and young people.
Columbans members and supporters – Picture Credit Ellen Teague
A project called ‘The Passion for Change’ provided an exhibition of sculpture and poetry and an opportunity for creative engagement with the conference themes.
Mass was celebrated by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair of Westminster Diocese Justice and Peace Commission. He urged the congregation “to pass on a message of great hope, proclaiming a Kingdom of Justice and Peace. Bidding prayers called for “just and caring politics” and for J&P campaigners “to model a better way of living and being in our communities so that we can be an inspiration for a just politics.”
I’m sending the NW NJPN E BULLETIN for August early as there’s lots of current information here, leading with extracts from a challenging keynote talk by The Rt Rev Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, given on Friday evening at this year’s NJPN Conference on the theme ‘Just Politics’. You can find reports of the rest of the Conference on ICN over the next few days: https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/ On pages 10-11 Professor Tina Beattie raises the issue of ordination to the diaconate for women in the Catholic Church (Bishop Guli is one of many Anglican clergywomen in the UK) and a survey published by Catholic Women Speak reports on strong support for women to be fully included at all levels of church leadership.
Another excellent talk was given recently by Jon Kuhrt entitled ‘Grace, Truth and the Common Good: The Future of Christian Social Action’, part of a 2024 series of lectures from Together for the Common Good exploring how Catholic Social Thought helps us stay human and build the common good in these uncertain times. Watch by clicking the links on page 4, listen to the podcast or read the text.
On pages 5-6 Joseph Kelly looks at this week’s disastrous IT meltdown and discusses the moral implications about future threats to the digital world. With the rise of streaming platforms young people are being targeted to buy certain brands, with popular influencers recruited to promote items on TikTok and Instagram. I was shocked to discover the power of this marketing tool, which plays a key part in the rapid success of Chinese firms which now dominate the market. The report of my findings is on pages 7-10. I question whether we really need to buy so much, especially cheap throwaway items produced in shocking working conditions that are harmful to the planet.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), in a landmark opinion, has declared that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is against international law. To remind us of the continued military occupation of the Palestinian people, Heather Kiernan has sent a poignant verse by Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha entitled ‘My grandfather was a terrorist’ (page 13). The bulletin closes with plenty of diary items for across the North West(see page 14).
The July 2024 issue of the NW NJPN E Bulletin focuses on the General Election and the new Labour Government. Professor Ian Linden examines the concept of “Growth” and regular contributor Jon Kuhrt gives details of his forthcoming lecture in honour of the late Frank Field in collaboration with Together for the Common Good. There’s news of upcoming events from the Campaign Against (the) Arms Trade and, in preparation for Sea Sunday on 14 July, a Stella Maris chaplain lifts lid on life as a seafarer with reference to Modern slavery, COVID-19 and missing loved ones, complete with a short podcast. All Kinds of Catholic, a new weekly podcast features an interview with Westminster J&P Worker Colette Joyce who shares her faith journey. Author and screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce has been appointed as the new Children’s Laureate, pledging to dedicate his two-year tenure to starting a national conversation about the role books and reading play in transforming children’s lives. If you enjoy cycling do consider joining this year’s Big Ride for Palestine – details for events in Merseyside, Wirral, Cheshire and North Wales are on page 12 and Pat Devlin’s account of her online presentation on 27 June to the National Justice and Peace Network on the current situation in Gaza and ways to support peacemaking in Palestine and Israel is on pages 12-14. Don’t forget this year’s J&P Conference on the theme “Just Politics” – details on page 14 and reports to follow in the next bulletin.
